Back Rubs and Scars
by BrandiAlyssa
Summary: Harry is a little sore after a long day at the Auror office, so Hermione offers a back rub. Harry is hesitant to agree, but when Hermione's hands drift under his shirt, she finds some surprises, both good and bad.


Yes, a new story! Sorry it has been so long. I do appreciate all the favs/follows/reviews I am still getting on both Kissing Choices and He Didn't Have to Be. I am contemplating a new addition to Kissing Choices as well as a pair of multi-chapter fics, but we will see.

Anyway, I got this idea from imagineyourOTP on tumblr and ran with it. Enjoy!

* * *

A groan escaped Harry's lips as he stretched and tried to relieve the stiff muscles in his back. Paperwork day in the Auror office never agreed with him. A pain relief potion and a hot shower usually fixed it though. He froze when he felt hands on his back.

"Long day?" the other person asked. Long fingers rubbed at the knots through his robes. He relaxed slightly, knowing it was his girlfriend of nearly a year and best friend of nearly fifteen.

"Very," he said as he turned. He gently kissed her forehead. Brown eyes smiled softly up at him. "Finally had to do all the paperwork I've been putting off."

She laughed. "I told you not to procrastinate, Head Auror Potter."

"But I had such a wonderful girlfriend waiting for me at home, Professor Granger."

"All finished now?"

He nodded. "For this round."

"Good. How about a back rub to help?"

"A-a back rub?" He had never let anyone touch his back. Never let anyone even see his back. "O-okay."

She saw his hesitation. "We don't have to, Harry."

"I want to, it's just no one's ever..."

He didn't need to say anything else; Hermione understood at least partially. "You've never let anyone near your back. I know. Trust me."

"I do. It's just... I don't want you to think any less of me."

"Harry," she said softly as she cupped his face in her hands, "nothing could ever make me think less of you. I love you." She kissed him softly, trying to show him how much she loved him with the simple touch. "Go shower and I'll be in shortly after."

Twenty minutes later, Harry was lying face down on his bed, dressed in sleep pants and a loose t-shirt. He looked over when there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Hermione opened the door with a smile. She reached for his glasses and put them on the nightstand. "Relax, Harry." She crawled on the bed and straddled his hips. She could feel him tense under her. She leaned down and placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. She ran her hands down his back and back up before starting on his shoulders.

Her hands worked over knots and tense muscles, slowly loosening everything. As she worked down his spine, Harry slowly relaxed under her. She worked over his shirt until she got to the base if his spine. She slipped her fingers under the shirt to the warm skin underneath. He tensed as her thumbs brushed over a raised patch of skin. His breathing quickened as she pushed the material away and revealed what her wandering hands had found. A frown marred her face until she saw it and then she had tears in her eyes.

"Oh Harry." The skin under her hands was littered with scars and blemishes. Some were small, barely different than the skin around them. Others, like the one her wandering hands had found, were wide, raised, and dark against his pale skin. He didn't move as she traced the lines and marks. "Who? What?" Hermione didn't quite know the question to ask.

"Vernon," he choked out. Hermione looked up at his face. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut. His hands had a death grip on one of the pillows. "Every year until Hogwarts and then every summer until I was of age. There was nothing I could do. Telling only made it worse. Not that anyone would believe that the Great Harry Potter didn't have the best home life." Tears leaked from his eyes. "I'd understand if you want to leave."

"Leave? What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" She remained where she was over his hips, knowing that if she moved he'd close in on himself. He didn't answer but his trembling shoulders told her what she wanted. "Do you really believe that I won't love you because of these? Harry James Potter, you know me better than that." With his shirt pushed up around his shoulders, she leaned down and began kissing each and every scar. "These are a part of who you are. If it wasn't for the fact that you need me more here, I'd go after the bastard that did this." His eyes cracked open and watched as she kissed a round scar on his shoulder. She held his gaze as she shifted off of him. Gently she coaxed him into rolling over. There were fewer scars on the front, but she treated them the same as the others with slow kisses. She worked her way to his lips, kissing him slowly and thoroughly. "I told you there is nothing that could make me think less if you. I would think less of the monsters that did this if I didn't already think they were the scum of the earth."

"Why did I let it happen?" Harry whispered, his voice harsh with tears. "Why couldn't I use my magic to fight back?"

"What age were you when this started?"

"Four, maybe five."

"So not old enough to control your magic in any sense. What happened when you tried to fight back?"

"It was worse."

"They trained you, in a sense, not to fight back. They were supposed to care for you, love you. Instead they turned their fear and anger in a child who knew nothing different. None of this was your fault and none if it makes me love you any less. If anything it makes me love you more."

"W-what?" His eyes widened; the emerald eyes were bright with tears as he watched her.

"You have great capacity to love and forgive, despite those horrible creatures. One day you will know this for yourself. One day you will know that despite what they did and the marks they left, the Dursleys did not win. They have not broken you and your beautiful, wonderful soul. I only hope I'm there when that day comes. And I hope they see it so you can rub it in their faces."

Harry gave a small laugh and a sniffle. "I love you, Hermione Granger, so very much."

"And I you, Harry Potter."

He wrapped one arm around her and used the other hand to fumble in his drawer. "If I hadn't thought it already, I would know for sure now."

"Known what?"

"That I wanted to give you this." He took his hand from the drawer and held a small black box to her. As she took the box, he scrubbed the tears from his face. I was going to ask on our anniversary, but I think it was meant for today. Will you marry me, Mione? I think that day is coming and I want you by my side when it does."

"Yes, yesyesyes." She leaned forward and captured his lips. The fingers on one hand tightened around the box, while the other weaved through his hair at the nape of his neck. It was her turn to shed tears when she pulled back, though these were happy tears.

Harry laughed lightly. "You didn't even look at the ring."

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is you," she said as she opened the box anyway. She gasped at the beautiful ring inside. A round emerald was set in the center and flanked by four round diamonds in a gold band. "It's gorgeous."

"It was my mum's. I found it in the Potter family vault along with a note. Mum told me to give it to the woman I loved with all my heart, the one person I want at my side forever. I choose you."

"Oh Harry." Her hands trembled as he slid the ring in place and it resized slightly. He kissed it on her finger before pulling her down for another proper kiss.

"What do you know about emeralds?" he asked.

She shook her head. "They're beautiful, but that's it."

"Something Hermione Granger doesn't know," he laughed. He only grinned when she slapped him on the shoulder and caught her left hand, brushing his thumb over the center stone. "Traditionally, emeralds represent true love, loyalty, devotion, adoration and friendship. All things I feel where you're concerned. They are also wonderful anchors of protective charms and enchantments. This single ring holds more protections than you could shake a wand at. I know you can protect yourself," he said when he saw her about to argue, "Merlin knows I know that, but it will make me breathe easier knowing that you have additional protection. Also, the only people able to take that ring off your finger are you and me. So if something does happen, no one can take that protection away." He kissed her ring again. "I love you, Mione, and I don't know what I'd ever do without you. I never want to find out."

"Who knew that under the auror, there was a romantic at heart." Hermione laid down beside Harry and curled into his arms. They lay in silence for a moment. "Maybe I'll thank the Dursleys before I hex them."

Harry looked down at her, confused. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because," she smiled, "although he's scarred, they gave up the most wonderful man I've ever met and I'm never letting him go." She kissed the skin over his heart. "This beautiful heart and soul are mine forevermore."

* * *

**AN: **I hope you enjoyed that. Hermione's ring may be found here (www. gemvara jewelry/rosemary-ring/ round-emerald-14k-yellow-gold-ring-with-diamond/8h n) and linked on my profile.


End file.
